blueberries

You can grow blueberries, pick them or find them at the market. Blueberries are easy to freeze. Anyone can do it. Blueberries are super nutritious and help your memory. I have a bush that I planted over 3 years ago.  It is just now starting to produce a good crop.  If you do wish to grow blueberries, all you have to do is keep them weeded—which is fairly easy as they shade their own soil.  If birds become a problem cover the bushes to protect them with netting.  For picking I use a yogurt container with a string attached  to hang around my neck. This allows you to have both hands free for easy access to the berries.  I place other containers nearby to dump the berries as the yogurt one becomes full.  When I am finished picking, I bring them into the house and spread them out on cookie sheets. Just go through the berries and pick off leaf & stems to clean berries up.  If you freeze them on cookie sheets, they will freeze individually. Just putting them in freezer bags causes them to mush together in one big lump.  After they are frozen, I put them in their freezer bags. I do this over a bowl as there are always a few stragglers that don’t quite make it into the bag.  You won’t lose them doing it this way. Then into the freezer they go for use the whole year long. 

Until next time....

Isaiah 17:6

Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the out most fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel.

Kroger Red, White & Barbeque Review

My name is Donna, I’m a BzzAgent.  I received samples & coupons.  I will give you my honest, hype-free opinion. I am a Blogger & Product Reviewer.  I am a mother, grandmother, sister, aunt & daughter so I have a range of product testers from 3 months to 73 yrs.  I get to try many different products and services and share them with friends, family and coworkers.   I love to garden and grow some of my own fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers.

My fantastic Bzz Agent kit contained one package of NEW Kroger Top'Ems, a bottle of NEW Kroger Sriracha Ketchup, McCormick grill mates Brown Sugar marinade Packet, a bag of NEW Simply Tostitos Organic SCOOP Tortilla chips, one Kraft spatula and over $10.00 in coupons for these and other great products!  I was very surprised at how delicious my food was using the Crispy mesquite bacon Top'ems.  I placed them on Irish Potatoes. The Kroger Sriracha Ketchup I received from BzzAgent was very good on the hotdogs I grilled.  I like spicy, but the Sriracha Ketchup was not overpowering. It added just a mild taste of hotness without interfering with the taste of my hotdog. I added the TOSTITO organic tortilla scoops that I also received for a perfect side with homemade salsa & the scoop shape-goes perfectly with a jar of Queso dip from Kroger's. I also liked the Sara Lee Pound cake I received with fresh Kroger fruit. The Kraft spatula made cooking easy! I love shopping at Kroger’s! I would purchase these products and really enjoyed them.  Customers can find grilling tips and view great recipes on the Kroger’s website showcasing the Red White & Barbeque event.  I think the recipes on the site will liven up your summer BBQ!  Be on alert for extra-special store events, like fresh guacamole stations, grilling activities. Tell everyone what Red, White & Barbeque is, and how they need to stop by their neighborhood Kroger immediately to experience it in person. Kroger Marinated Meats offer a convenient way to spice up family dinners with minimal effort. Kroger's there was so many different kinds of wonderful food displayed, free recipes. 

Until Next time…….Hebrews 13:16  Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following Natures Lead

Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed‑bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1: 11 ‑ 12

My garden is growing pretty well so far. I planted some seedlings sooner this year than last year, for obvious reasons. For centuries farmers have taken cues for planting times from natural phenomena such as bird and animal migration, the emergence of insects and amphibians, and the flowering of native plants. Watching for natural indicators are called "phenology", which is from the Greek word for the" science of appearances". Some fairly reliable conclusions have been made by observations made over many years. Trees, shrubs and flowers are sensitive to temperature and day length and develop on a regular schedule based on local conditions.While not totally foolproof, following nature’s clock helps us tune in to the rhythm of life around us. It only makes sense to use them as indicators of when the weather is right for planting. Here are examples of following natures lead. Here are some of those signs. Be careful for unexpected frost thou.

Blooming crocus are your cue to plant radishes, parsnips and spinach.

Half-hardy vegetables including beets, carrots and chard can be planted when the daffodils blossom. When the forsythia is in bloom it is safe to plant peas, onion sets and lettuce.
Look for dandelions to bloom before planting potatoes.

Perennials can be planted when the maple trees begin to leaf out.

When quince is blossoming, you can transplant cabbage and broccoli.

Wait for apple trees to bloom before planting bush beans.

When the apple blossoms fall, be sure to plant pole beans and cucumbers.

By the time the lilacs are in full bloom it will be safe to plant tender annual flowers and squashes. You can transplant tomatoes when lily-of-the-valley is in full flower.

Full-sized maple leaves signal time to plant morning glory seeds.

Peppers and eggplant can be transplanted when the irises are blooming.

When peonies blossom it is safe to plant heat-loving melons.

Until next time……

A Year of Grieving 1-27-14 to 1-27-15

Ecclesiastes 7:4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

Losing a parent, spouse, or other loved one is really hard. What most of us don't know, until it happens, is that it hurts for a long time. Dad will be gone a year on 1-27-2015. This is a part of how I have felt within the last year. I have been told that all this is normal during grieving periods.

For the first hours, days, even weeks after dad died I felt I simply can't absorb what's happened. It felt like there's a glass wall between myself & my feelings. I felt I had to be strong for my sister and so my loved ones wouldn’t worry about me. Don’t get me wrong  I was sad,  The numbness protected me from dissolving, but it was a bit frightening, too -- why can't I cry?  I struggled with the hole left in my daily life. I had spent the past couple of years as a caregiver, going daily or a two to three times a day to the nursing home to see dad.  I experienced a sense of being cut adrift -- after giving so much of my time and devotion to my dad, suddenly  I was no longer needed.

I also found myself feeling angry at having to sort through dad’s belongings.  I had to handle all  things like closing of accounts, papers to go through, sending death certificates out. And packing up by myself dad’s belongings.

I started being more spacey than usual. Forgetting things like being unable to recall what you did yesterday, or not knowing how long it's been since you last ate.  I even locked my keys in the car a couple of times. I found within myself a need to organize my living space so I wouldn’t feel so disorganized.

Slowly I noticed I would be feeling okay one moment and overwhelmed with sadness the next. Tears would come when I least expect them. I had obsessive thought patterns, such as going over in my mind things I did and didn't do or say. Like was he in a coma that last day I sat with him? Should I have made the nursing home take him to the hospital? Would he still be alive if I had? Saying things like this outloud found me surprised to find that others remember things differently. Getting everyone's feelings out in the open allows you to reassure each other that you all did the best you could in a difficult situation.  It can be hard to bring up a loss, but it's more uncomfortable still if you keep silent and those around you remain oblivious.

During Thanksgiving and Christmas I briefly broke down during a couple of family gatherings. But again I sucked it up and carried on.  I also can now work dad into conversations now.  It feels ok to remember dad and share memories. Things like dad really liked his breakfast and Denny’s. I am not always sad now thinking of him not being here on earth. I believe someday I will see him and my brother in heaven.

I started finding that every once in a while something would makes me laugh or smile. Life has a way of throwing moments our way that wake us to the possibilities still in front of us. And bringing people into our lives to get us out of ourselves and to open up again.