Christmas Day

2016

Merry Christmas 

(not my picture:)

Hopefully they are migrating and not looking for dinner at East Battleboro Avenue backyard...December 9th 

Chocolate Babka Bread

Tasty and chewy...and chocolatey 

Christmas Baking

~We added the Lights~

....it still needs something red

Persimmon Chutney

Our neighbor, Keith, brought over some Persimmons that he got from a tree at his work. I made Persimmon Chutney~And it is delicious:)

FUYU Persimmon Chutney

makes 4 cups

8 large FUYU persimmons

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup raisins

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 cup yellow onion, minced

4 tablespoons whole mustard seed

2 teaspoons  salt

1 tablespoon garlic

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Peel, remove seeds and chop the persimmons into a small dice.  Combine all ingredients in a heavy pot and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, turn down heat and simmer while stirring frequently until the chutney begins to thicken and become syrupy, about 20 minutes.

Ladle chutney into hot sterile jars.  Leave a 1/2 inch head-space. Top with a new lid and band. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes for half-pint jars.  See Home Canning Basics for more information about the canning process.  If you are not preserving for shelf storage, ladle chutney into sterile jars and keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.

For those of you not lucky enough to be on a ~North Carolina Adventure~I'm guessing you could substitute other fruits....You could perhaps try adding turmeric for the Persimmon color J

Rooster finds new home!!

Rocky has found his new home! He will be king of the roost at Luis's house! This is very good news!!! Thank you Luis:)

The "Southern Living" you don't see in the magazines.....

Our new neighbors....how many do you want?

Magnolia Tree Garland

Magnolia Garland

Before the Lights....

Making a Holly Wreath

2016

Here we have a Praying Mantis Egg~I put it outside quickly so they didn't warm up to the idea of hatching....which is an amazing site to see. I put it where I can watch it in the Spring:)

And the final product....Don't look too closely at the bow.

I warned you....maybe I will buy a bow....

 ~Elephant Ear Inhabitants...Cute~

~Rubber Frog~

Camelia's

~Pansies happily blooming in November~

~Vermont~

Brown Thrasher not happy with the new bird on the block....

So he got up close and personal with him..

I didn't get a picture of the argument that followed....and I am not sure who won the battle as they both flew away in a huff.

~My Pumpkin~

August 11, 2016

Pumpkins in the making !

Up One Side....

And down the other side...

The Elephant Ear is Happy

When it rains it pours

Journey of the PUMPKINS 

Planted....June 20th

Growing up the outside of back fence with string for support.

Over the top and into the backyard where they will get more sun. July 27th

Rooting a Pineapple

First twist out the leaves-they pop out.

Remove all the sad looking leaves.

See those little dry brown roots!

Dry for one day.

Then place the base in water and wait till the roots grow long.

Plant in light mix of pearlite and dirt.

In about two years a baby pineapple will begin to grow.