Chokecherries

 The Chokecherries along the driveway are ready to be picked...or left for the birds.

The foliage of the Chokecherry bushes looks all beat up...probably from the heat. 

When the berries are this color they are ready to be picked...they will strip off easily.

Yippie for the birds...sadly I do not have the energy to pick them.  Picking is only half the work...

We had a quiet day on Saturday.  I did some laundry and almost finished my current book. My other baby brother and she who sees robins first visited along with their Grand Lola. 

What's Cooking?   Smoked Pork Chops, Green Beans with Bacon and a Baked Potato. Yummy!

Minnesota Weather:  High 82F or 28C  Low was 61F or 16C  almost a perfect weather day! We could still use some rain!

Far Side

Gone to the dogs:)

 I ran over to let Baxter and Smudge out...their masters were stuck in town longer than they thought.

It was a windy cool day...

"Treat Lady lets go inside, I am nearly frozen and there are no balls out here!"

A good game of fetch may have been played inside!

On the way home I stopped by a Pin Cherry Bush.

Then a Chokecherry bush.

This Chokecherry even has flower buds! 

It was so windy I had a hard time with photos and I only had my phone for a camera. 

Minnesota weather:  High 60F  or 16C Low 37F or 3C.  The wind chill was in the low 40's.

Whats cooking?   Steak and salad:)

Far Side

No sleep or jelly

 Monday was a catch all day for me. Laundry and putting away "stuff."  Far Guy has slept very little in the last 48 hours.  It must be a side effect from the cancer meds.   I try to do quiet things just incase he is asleep.  

See the dark berries?  Those are Chokecherries the local bear may get them sooner or later.  Just did not have it in me to make jelly this year....I do have a few jars left over from two years ago.  The brighter orange leaves are Virginia Creeper growing up the Chokecherry shrub/tree. The yellow leaves are the Chokecherry leaves. 

Minnesota weather: High 80F or 27C  Low was  60F or 16C.   Today (Tuesday) will be our last really warm day then we cool off a bit and it may rain. 

Supper was Hobo dinners again...what can I say it is easy with minimal cleanup. (Hamburger, Potatoes, Carrots and Cheese)

I finished the book I was reading in between Book Club reads.  Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz.  I started the book a number of years ago and never finished it. So I read the whole book again.  I give it a 7 out of a 10.  Not usually the kind of book I read but nice for an inbetween book. 

Far Side

Smoke and other stuff

 It was very smoky on Sunday.  I took a few photos on our way to have late lunch/early supper with my brothers and their wives on Mother's Day.   The meal was good, I had my first margarita of the summer, half strength...I am a light weight. 

Excuse the bugs on the windshield.  The smoke cleared out late Monday morning and we ran a few errands in town....something for the old car Tilly and bird food...the birds are very hungry this Spring...especially the  Rose Breasted Grosbeaks!  The Hummingbirds are busy at their feeder too! 

The road construction has not started yet!  Maybe we will get one more week before they show up.

The Chokecherries are really putting on the blooms, we will have a bumper crop of berries if it doesn't freeze.  Hope the bees are active enough to pollinate the flowers! 

I mowed at my other baby brothers shop yesterday and our front yard, I am leaving our side yards that are full of Dandys for the bees.  I mowed for  about ninety minutes. ..that was enough for the day. 

Far Guy is busy working on Tilly...something about valves and gaskets...he is feeling pretty good at the moment.  Getting a bit stronger everyday. 

Far Side

 

In the kitchen

 It was time to finish up those open shelves in the kitchen.  They get dusty.  They are clean now! 

The ruffly blue vase on the top shelf is from Norway.  It was a gift to my parents from Florence and Russ neighbors and friends for years.   These shelves are kinda a pain in the butt sometimes...however putting dishes away is easy. 

I am not sure where the cobwebs come from but they sure show up after the furnace has been on! 

Far Guy and I ran errands in the morning, we stopped to see my Dad in the home and then picked up some jelly making supplies.  We dropped off a few woodcarved ornaments in town and came home and made the last three batches of Chokecherry Jelly.  ( The chokecherry juice was frozen last summer when it was too hot to make jelly)

That makes seven batches of jelly so the pantry has jelly again and we can share with friends!  We got 21 jars from three batches...one did not seal so that one is in the fridge. 

Cross a couple more things off my list.  

We had a few snowflakes in the air in the afternoon. 

Far Side

We all need a little good news

 This week I happened along a web site that makes me smile.  It is  Secret Santa Stories.

If you need a smile check it out.   That Secret Santa is making a difference in many lives. 

Thunderbird Convertible not sure what year. 

Today is baking day around here...the house will smell great.  Yesterday I made more Chokecherry Jelly and did some house work...boring.   I watched The Bridges of Madison County on Netflix...I had not seen it before...I enjoyed it.  I finished up Virgin River and now I have to wait for a new season! 

Far Side

Invited out

 We were invited out for supper.   I wanted to take a Christmas gift of Chokecherry Jelly.  Imagine my surprise that all the jars in the pantry were empty.  Five boxes and they were all empty....that is 60 jars of jelly!

I got out some chokecherry juice from the freezer and enlisted Far Guy's help and we made two batches of jelly.  It will still be warm when presented as a gift.  Fresh!   It has been on my list of things to do.  We have to build up the stash again!

The kitchen smells good now! 

We had a sunny morning with blue skies, by the time I got outside to take a photo the light was leaving. 

The snow is not melting.

Not sure what we will be having for a meal, but we get to pet a dog and visit with friends! 

Far Side

Late Summer

 Fall is coming on strong.  The night time temperatures are in the 50's F  and leaves and acorns are falling out of the trees.    The Chokecherries left on the Chokecherry shrubs/small trees are starting to dry up.   It was a really good year for chokecherries and some locals are selling them for $4 a pound. 

The juicer came in handy this chokecherry season...I believe over 100 cups of juice was made that will make jelly or syrup.  I know my freezer has enough juice to keep me busy for a couple of days this Fall. 

The Ratibida pinnata or Mexican Hat is in bloom.  It self seeds itself every year. 

The tomato crop is still good.  Far Guy took some in to his favorite Infusion Nurses yesterday. 

We had a good visit with Far Guy's cousins yesterday;  Bonnie, Wayne, Jay and Janette. 

Far Side

Sunday activity

 Lazy day but we managed to make a trip to recycle.  Baxter came to visit because his people were having a gathering for my baby brothers 50th Class reunion and Baxter would have been a pain in the butt. 

Baxter was not thrilled, but he did not whine.  I had a nap while he laid on the step looking out the window.  Then we sat outside and woodcarved...he liked that better.  We found out he likes watermelon and I am not allowed to go into the bathroom alone. 

Relax Baxter you are just visiting!  He was very happy to see my baby brother had not forgotten him!  Baxter has recovered from his surgery, he can have crackers again as a treat. 

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We juiced chokecherries in the afternoon.  Got 19 cups of juice for my other baby brother and she who sees robins first.  They picked berries on Sunday morning. 

The stainless steel juicer/steamer has three compartments, the bottom is for water, the middle is the juice catch basin with the hose ( the catch basin has a funnel in the center for the steam to rise up from the bottom part) and the top part is the part with small holes where the berries are placed to steam.  It is one of the best things ever!

Far Side

Steamed

 I steamed the chokecherries...it makes the whole house smell wonderful !  I got 14 cups of juice from 2 1/2 ice cream pails of fruit.  That will make 24 plus jars of jelly someday when it is cool or next Fall. 

This is a bucket before the berries have been washed.   The berries are tiny...I wash them in a bucket and swirl the berries around loosening the debris and leaves that float to the top, I keep adding water until the bucket overflows into the catch strainer in the sink...after a while your berries are all washed and ready to steam.

Chokecherries smell awesome...it is a one of a kind smell...heavy and fruity.  Far Guy says it is a sweet smell and you would never guess how tart they are when eaten raw.   He just looked up what Google says...bitter sweet smell similar to the aroma of cyanide of bitter almonds.  The pit inside a chokecherry contains amygdalin which when ingested converts to cyanide. If you eat enough pits it will kill you.  However birds, deer and bear are not affected....other animals like dogs, horses and cows will die if enough seeds are ingested. 

You wouldn't eat the pit of a cherry or a pit of an apricot...they are also poisonous. 

Far Side

Chokecherries

There is a bumper crop of Chokecherries this year. 

These hang right in the driveway and I go around them every time I go in or out.  I picked the branch clean of berries and shoved the whole thing back in the woods ...not sure it will stay there.   It might have to be tied back.

The berries hang heavily on the trees. 

This is what they looked like in bloom in the early part of June.

I picked about 2 1/2 Ice Cream pails full and will steam them today...I have a fancy steamer that separates out the juice...it is a wonderful invention.  I will freeze the juice and make jelly next winter.

The seeds are poisonous, so the whole fruit cannot be used.  There are many buckets full out there on our property and next door at my brothers.  It is hard work picking but I managed. Yesterday I just picked berries in the corner of our driveway. 

Far Side

White Blooms

 The Hawthorns are blooming.  We have always called them Thornapples...the wood is good for flower stems if you are a woodcarver. 

Can you see the thorn?  The tree/shrub will get red tiny itsy bitsy apples come Fall and the birds will eat them.

It should be a good year for Chokecherries.    Last summer we cleared out many branches that had fire blight (poop on a stick) and that really helped with the growth.  My baby brother, his bride and I worked really hard at clearing out the infected branches.   If we just take care of new areas we should have a handle on it.   If pollination goes well we will be busy picking and steaming chokecherries come the first week in August. 

Each tiny flower will be a berry!  The clusters will hang heavily from the branches first green then turning pink, red and a very deep red almost black and they are ready to pick.

Yesterday I mowed the entire yard, previously I mowed just the front yard.  It was a busy day.

Far Side

White Blooms

 We have some new blooms.   Sure hope it doesn't freeze.    That is a real possibility later this week...be wary of the super flower blood moon Wednesday and there will be a partial lunar eclipse visible in our area early Wednesday morning...then the moon sets below our horizon for the total eclipse.  (Friday it is forecast to get down to 38 F ...that could be a freezing night for sure) 

Chokecherries in full bloom. 

This is another bloomer. 

These upright blooms belong to a Hawthorn...yes it has long spiky thorns.  Most people call it a Maythorn around here it is called a thornapple ...woodcarvers use the twigs for stems of flowers they carve.   It will get berries that the birds will eat. 

Yesterday we watched church and made a big batch of Baked Beans for the Summer.  I soaked the beans; pintos and northern beans overnight.  We cook them up add lots of secret ingredients and when they are cool we package them into servings for two...they will be a side dish over the summer when it is too hot to cook...they will accompany some brats or hamburgers on the grill.

Far Side

 

Early Chokecherries

 We have some chokecherries coming up where they should not be.  My other baby brother may get them and transplant them to a better spot.  These are growing at the edge of our septic system...grass can grow there but not trees or shrubs.  There is also a Popple Tree in there that has to go. 

The Chokecherries are getting ready to bloom...

The blooms are still tucked in between the leaves.  Hope they stay there for a while longer as we have been freezing at nights. 

Thank you for the thoughts and prayers!  Far Guy is much improved...almost back to normal...huge sigh of relief.  He drove the new old car which he calls "Bertha" home from town today....her extra roomy trunk carried a box with a patio table...who knew she could haul big stuff! 

Far Side

Berry Report

 I completed picking Chokecherries on Friday morning.   It was a great ten days of picking. We started picking July 29 and picked off and on through August 7th.  My baby brother and his bride picked many days....they found some great berries and scouted some new picking areas.  I enjoy picking...the quiet of the woods and the plink plink of the berries as they fall into my bucket.

There are still some chokecherries to ripen and a really tall tree was left for the birds...I found a nice stand and told my other baby brother it would get better if he took some of his equipment and took out some brush and let the sunlight in! 

I froze enough juice for three batches of jelly.  I steamed juice for my baby brother so he has 20 plus cups in the freezer...he said he would make jelly next winter.  He shared chokecherries with Jo, Aunt Anna and our Mom. 

Chokecherries bloom in early spring and many times frost takes care of the flowers.  So we never know from one year to the next if it will be a good harvest or not. 

My new juicer/steamer worked great!  I put it away until Crabapples...we will see if we can find some for a batch of Crabapple Jelly.

Someone asked me what chokecherry jelly tastes like...it is tart, fruity, and floral...it doesn't compare to any other flavor. 

I give away most of the jelly that we make...it makes a nice gift!  I had 30 jars and 5 have been gifted already. 

Far Side 

Jelly and Art

The last batch of Chokecherries yielded 12 jars of jelly...one did not seal...not sure why.  It is in the fridge for now. 

I am done until we pick the last of the berries.

I am having way to much fun with the new art supplies!  The new pan watercolors are marvelous!  I have been playing around with different colors on some wintery cards.. 

Far Guy started a new carving project...it keeps him busy out on the patio most of the day...he has birds that talk to him ...they answer each other back and forth.  The Mother Woodpeckers were feeding babies almost as big as they are...fun to watch them communicate...the babies are finally coming to the suet feeders by themselves instead of squawking for their mothers help.

Far Side

New Art Supplies

I have watercolor pencils and pens and a set of shimmery water colors but not a real set of various colors.

As long as you are ordering you may as well try a few other things too!   The Molotow mask marker is way cool...you put it on a card here and there... then watercolor over the top and rub the marker away and your white paper shows through...it looks like snow falling.  I  have tried every thing so far I really like the Tombow markers...they blend nicely.  I ordered an extra red and a grey marker...as I will probably use more of those colors on the Christmas Cards...I like that I could order specific colors.

I love all the watercolors! 

We had a very busy day yesterday, I did the usual laundry and then mowed the yard.  I had a bunch of lose ends to take care of and bills to pay...got it all done. 

Far Guy ordered a curb side pickup in town so we drove in and picked up his metal garbage cans...the squirrels or chipmunks have eaten several holes in his plastic bird seed can...one at the top and one at the bottom just like a drive through restaurant.  Well the restaurant is now closed!

My baby brother and his bride picked chokecherries so I washed and steamed them. 

As they were steaming I had play time with all my new art supplies! 

Far Side

More berries and a nut

Far Guy and I picked about two ice cream pails of chokecherries yesterday.  There will be one more picking later this week...some of the trees that don't get as much sunlight will be ready by then. 

I am not sure how many cups of juice we got yet as it is cooling...and thanks to Far Guy all the dishes are done and the kitchen cleaned up.  The juice will be jelly one day soon or frozen depending on the weather. 

Far Guy was wondering about these berries.   My baby brother has a whats this plant app on his phone...we just have a little book   Wild Berries and Fruit field guide for Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

This is an opposite leafed Dogwood, the berries are not edible when they turn color...birds and deer will eat them and leave the red stemlet that is pretty in the Fall.

We have lots of Hazel Brush...some of the fast growing branches make Hazelnuts. 

Most are being eaten by some kind of worm who likes the foliage and the nut.

So much for the Minnesota Horticulture lesson of the day. 

I completed another shawl and it is being blocked.  Another has been started.

All the Christmas Cards have been stamped...some new art supplies should arrive today...that is my reward for stamping them all!  I am trying some different water color "stuff" so we will see how it all works out. 

Stay safe! 

Far Side

Jelly

The Chokecherrys that we picked a few days ago are now jelly.  It was a cooler Saturday morning project.  I made three batches and it yielded 18 jars of jelly.  That was juice from about 2 1/2 ice cream buckets of berries....it was just a little over 10 1/2 cups of juice.

We will pick again today as many more chokecherries are ripe. 

These berries were bright red a few days ago. 

I have enough jars, sugar and pectin to do four more batches.  After that the juice will be frozen for use later in the winter.

My Recipe for Chokecherry Jelly

3 1/2 cups of chokecherry juice

1/2 cup of lemon juice

Add one package of pectin (Sure Jel)   

Heat and stir until the mixture boils and increases in volume...after that I stir about a minute.

Add 3 1/2 cups of sugar

Bring to boil  and boil for two minutes stirring constantly. 

Skim foam off the top. 

Pour into sterile jars, make sure the rim of the jar has no jelly on it, add a hot lid and a collar (ring) tighten up the collar on the lid but not too tight,  and put into a hot water bath with water covering the jars and boil for 5 plus minutes.

It has been my experience that one small batch at a time is the way to make jelly.  I enlist Far Guys help to put lids on the jars, then he lifts them into the hot water bath...he keeps the hot water bath going and the small pan with the hot lids ready for me.  AND gets something for me if I have forgotten it! 

I set out everything I will need...sugar is pre measured and in a bowl...bowls are set out for the skim and for a resting place for my measuring cup that I use to fill the jars. I usually cover the counter tops with towels...cause I am messy...the making jelly part took about two hours.  I wash my pan and all the utensils used after every batch.  Far Guy was a gem and helped with final clean up.

Far Side

Chokecherries

A few of the Chokecherries are ripe. 

These are ready, they are dark and plump and easily strip off the stalk.

These are not ready...they need some more days to ripen. These will be ready some time next week. 

We picked about 2 gallons of fruit that was ripe. 

Then it is washed and washed some more. 

I assembled the new steamer /juicer. 

The bottom is filled with water and a few marbles...so you can tell when it is boiling and if it boils dry.

The catch part....placed on top of the water,,,a funnel in the center allows the steam to go up.  The catch basin will fill with juice and you can siphon it off into another container.

The berries are added next. The part the berries sit in has small holes so that the juice can drip downwards.

The whole contraption is so much easier than cheesecloths etc...I should have had it years ago! 

It took about 90 minutes for the Chokecherries to be completely steamed...the house filled with the most delightful fragrance of cooking chokecherries. 

I worked on the Christmas Cards and did some laundry while they were steaming. 

Far Guy helped me siphon off the juice twice...I did not measure but I think we got about eight cups plus of juice.  It is in the fridge and in the next couple of days I will make jelly.   The juice can frozen or canned to be used at a later time.

We don't get a good Chokecherry crop every year...two years ago we had a great crop and harvest.

I have jars, lids, sugar and pectin all set to make a sticky mess in the kitchen soon. 

You can only make jelly out of chokecherries...the seeds are poisonous....so jam is not a possibility. 

Far Side