Thursday, July 31, 2014

hold everything - it's time to snap



Grab an apron and pull up an Adirondack chair. We can sit on the deck and listen to the river go by while we snap beans.



There are some 700 and some odd steps from the garden to the kitchen. This is the route I travel several times a day, in and out of the garden, with baskets full of beans.



These are Haricots Verts, they grow longer, skinny - tender and crisper than your ordinary bush bean. I raised them from seed I've saved over the years, and this year's harvest is exceptional.



The yield so far is over a bushel in weight. A good year for the beans.



Having picked the majority of them at the peak of their perfection, I will leave the rest to mature for seed, or possibly the bean pot. What comes in on top will be used for fresh eating. Handfuls-steamed then sauteed in minced garlic, olive oil and almonds.



pick, wash, sort, snap, chop, measure, steam, pack, process and store. only ten steps there. repeat as many times as necessary.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

producing

As a verb, the word produce means to make or manufacture from components or raw materials.

So in that sense of the word, I've been producing lots of different types of things these days.



Trying my hand and producing a distaff or two, and adding designs to the copper and other elements to the staff.



This one is from a piece of a nearby maple tree that needed to be trimmed out. It is a pleasing task to make a distaff!

As a noun, the word produce means things that have been produced or grown, especially by farming.



So in that sense of the word, I've actually been producing jam from produce! Lots of nice fresh red currants from the garden!



My friend, Judy, stopped by and dropped off some of the Nanking Cherries from her garden. Thank You! A bowl of cherries is always good to keep nearby, when one is spindling linen. keep those juices flowing. The rest were turned into jam.



When my spindle is at rest, I tuck it inside the distaff, for easy storage. As I look at it, it appears to be a cocoon of sorts.



Summer is in full swing! I'm enjoying the view~

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