Friday, June 9, 2023

Air, Misfits and other vital news

Today's air quality is still not great, though improved


I'm coughing a bit, headachy a bit, using saline drops in my eyes. And staying indoors, dull. Except I did go out briefly to water my seedlings and renew the qtips because they dried out early and squirrels are getting interested again. 

Yesterday's Misfits box arrived early, and you see the box, and near it, the coleus happy in her new home, next to her friendly lavender. You're seeing the back, from which I cut lavender to give neighbors. The blooms are all at the front, on the the street side.



This is a lovely summer haul, cherries, strawberries, and other good things.

I have two pounds of cherries, some for eating raw, some for a filling for a crumble

Nigel Slater, June entries, reminded me of this



So today here we are


I don't pit stone fruit except peaches and apricots, if I'm cooking them. So much easier to cook them to tender, then fish out the stones. 

This cherry sauce will be a filling for the next time I make a crumble. I'll grind almonds for part of the crumble topping. Almonds and cherries are great friends.

This morning I caught sight of a fledgling on the shepherd's crook


 Perfect landing for the small flights they're up to now.  Probably only days before they graduate to the real thing.

This morning I managed a bit of weaving, nearing the end of this panel

As you see we're getting to where it's harder to raise and lower the shed, near the end of the warp. Soon be finished. With this panel, that is.


And here's a little lavender arrangement, scenting the air now.

Happy day everyone, look for little pleasures like a tiny bouquet, in any form, metaphorically if not in reality.








18 comments:

  1. I always use almonds in my crumbles! So good. We just went to the river to cool off and there were many, many good things to notice including a small alligator! Now I'm home and will get hot again as I need to pick green beans and hopefully, some cucumbers.

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    1. I usually make apple crumble, so this will be a change.

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  2. Is your fledgling a little wren? Its tail looks short enough. I think.

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    1. It's a family of sparrows. His tail may still be developing. I've seen the parents feeding them.

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  3. I always seem to eat cherries uncooked. Yum!

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    1. I need to cook some because the quantity's too large to keep. Either way, lovely.

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  4. So glad your air quality is improving. Hope the poor-air-quality symptoms leave soon too. Last summer I drove to northern Idaho to visit friends, and halfway there overnighted with other friends in a town socked in with thick wildfire smoke. I woke up feeling so bad, I thought I had Covid. Fortunately a test confirmed it was ":only" the smoke, and by the time I reached my less-smoky destination was feeling myself again. So - I feel for you!

    That crumble will be delicious! Cherries and almonds are a match made in heaven.

    Chris from Boise

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  5. Cherry season is short here and they are expensive so I can't imagine cooking them They are too delicious raw! My grandmother used to refer to crumbles as grumbles. I have no idea why but that's what they are in my mind.

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    1. I think cherry season is short, just a couple of weeks, do I took advantage while I could. Locally we haven't had any for years, from late frosts.

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  6. I had apple and rhubarb crumble last night.
    I love any crumble. Hot from the oven with ice cream yummy

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  7. I am sure that you are enjoying the lovely lavender.

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  8. That's pretty smart, to take the pits out after you cook the cherries. I've never thought of that. Is it harder to get them all that way?

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    1. They tend to show up, do i haven't had a problem with stray pits.

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  9. mmmmm -cherries! Can't wait to get my hands on those because they're my favourite fruit. My mother used to buy a big pail of frozen unsweetened cherries every year and they would get turned into pies. We bought a pail a couple of years ago and despite them being labeled as being pitted it was very hit and miss. Resident Chef made a pie and we nearly broke a tooth several times. The rest of the pail was gone over with great care. Haven't bought any in that form since and instead purchase fresh where you EXPECT to find pits. Mom's pie was always minimally sweetened so I don't appreciate pies made any other way.

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    1. Pitting cherries is -- the pits! But failing to is hazardous.

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