Skip to main content

A Small Summer Harvest

Summer is a time of bounty for us.  Several sets of catbirds have raised a few broods under our back porch and next to the house, the bees have been busy visiting the wildflowers, our resident groundhogs (we have two this year!) can't seem to stop eating, the robins, cardinals and bluejays are as active as ever, and gardens around the neighborhood are ready to burst with vegetables, fruits and herbs.


I'm the first to admit that we're spoiled here in our part of Pennsylvania.  The more-than-average rainfall has been good to everyone's garden.


I spent a morning over the weekend harvesting a few vegetables that were ready for picking, and I collected some eggs which were greatly needed in the kitchen.

The kirby cucumbers are crisp and delicious right now (garden gloves were needed to pick these because of their very prickly skins).  I love using them in my salads, but they also make great pickles.  The carrots are also sweet and crisp.  If I'm not snacking on them in the afternoon, I will more than likely roast them with the roast chicken on Fridays.  The tomatoes are great in salads, but they're also perfect for a bruschetta served with a glass of wine. The frying peppers get chopped up and sautéed in some olive oil, and are then added to a pot of simmering beans.  Those colorful Flamin' Fury peaches come from our friends at Hamilton Family Orchards in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania. They're the best tasting peaches in the world!

I can't say enough about the eggs.  Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, Australorps and Araucanas are laying beauties right now.  Don't tell anyone, but we're hoping that the baby Marans start laying in the coming months! I can't wait.


The arugula and salad bowl greens have been so delectable to say the least. Every lunch and dinner at our home includes a salad of some kind.  That we can compose a salad from freshly-picked greens is nothing short of amazing.


Even baby Henry (he's already ten months!) enjoys the garden's bounty.  He's such a curious and lively baby cat, that he can't help but inspect every fresh fruit and vegetable that comes into the house.  He especially loves the herbs! Those, by the way, get used to make pesto, garnishes and stuffings for chickens.  A little tarragon under the skin goes a long way.  

Baby Henry inspecting the harvest.


It's amazing to me how quickly the time has gone since we rescued Henry.  He has established a very loving, unique and particular presence in our household.  We both love him to no end.



How is your summer coming along?  Have you managed to plant, grow and harvest a little something in your area?  Even if you haven't, farmers markets are filled with fresh produce, meats, cheeses and eggs right now.  Everything is delectable, and everything is worth trying at least once.  I hope that you're supporting local farmers and small businesses in your area.


Here's to a great summer!

Comments

  1. Such beautiful photos and as always, I love your blog post..What a talent, you have my friend. Also, thank you for being so kind with my Instagram issue. They have been zero help, so I have no choice but to move ahead. You're a doll xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz, I'm glad I woke up to good news today that your account was back!!! Thanks for the lovely comment and keep doing what you're doing!!! I love all of your posts!

      xo

      Delete

Post a Comment

Thank You for Posting!

Popular posts from this blog

Antique Salt Cellars

There was a time when salt cellars played an important role on the dining table for the host or hostess.  As a result of it being such an expensive commodity several hundred years ago, salt was seen as a luxury and it was the well to do that made salt cellars quite fashionable & a status symbol for the home.  A single salt cellar usually sat at the head of the table and was passed around throughout the meal.  The closer one sat to the salt cellar, the more important one was deemed by the head of the household.  Smaller cellars that were more accessible and with an open top became a part of Victorian table settings.  Fast forward to the 20th century when salt was no longer a luxury and when anti caking agents were added to make salt free-flowing, and one begins to see salt cellars fall out of fashion.  Luckily for the collector and for those of us who like to set a table with Good Things , this can prove to be a boon. Salt cellars for the table come in silver, porcelain, cut glass

Collecting Jadeite

With its origins dating back to the 1930s, jadeite glassware began its mass production through the McKee Glass Co. in Pennsylvania. Their introduction of the Skokie green & Jade kitchenware lines ushered in our fascination with this jade color.  Glassmakers catered jadeite to the American public as an inexpensive alternative to earthenware soon after the Depression, both for the home and for its use in restaurants.  The Jeanette Glass Company and Anchor Hocking introduced their own patterns and styles, which for many collectors, produced some of the most sought after pieces.  Companies marketed this beautiful glass under the monikers of jadite , jadeite , jade glass , jad-ite , jade-ite , so however you want to spell it, let it draw you in for a closer look.  If you want a thorough history of the origins of jadeite, collectors’ pricing, patterns & shapes (don’t forget the reproductions in 2000), I highly suggest picking up the book by Joe Keller & David Ross called, Jadei

How to Paint a Chair

If you have ever felt the need to spruce up a set of chairs or give them a new look, why not try a little bit of paint?  Our tastes in decor and color will probably alter throughout our lives, and at some point, we may find ourselves wanting to change the look of our furniture without having to spend a lot of money.  That's where a few handy tips, some tools from the hardware store, and good-quality paint come in handy.   I know I'm not alone in paying visits to local antique shops, antique fairs and flea markets, and falling in love with pieces of furniture that would be perfect if they were just a different color.  You don't have to walk away from a good purchase simply because it's the wrong color.   My dear friend, Jeffrey, is forever enhancing his home with collectibles from flea markets and tag sales.  However, certain items aren't always up to Jeffrey's tastes when he brings them home.  He is the type of person who won't hesitate to chang