Fresh – A WordPress Photo Challenge!

Jen H. over at WordPress has chosen the topic “fresh” for this week’s photo challenge. What came to mind: Fresh vegetables from the garden! Are you ready to see my view of fresh? Here we go!

Who doesn’t like fresh sweet corn from the garden?

Sweet, sweet corn

There is nothing better than fresh broccoli fresh from the garden!

Broccoli

Tomatoes from the garden beat store bought hands down!

Heirloom tomatoes

Here is a photo of some freshly picked potatoes that I grew last year.

Colorful potatoes

I love the sweet fresh sequoia strawberries from my garden!

Sweet, sweet strawberries!

Love my raspberries too!

Raspberries!

Fresh acorn squash is a perfect accompaniment to ham!

Acorn squash

I love those green beans too!

Green beans

Well, there you have it! My view of fresh!

Thanks for stopping by today and be well! ^..^

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Join Me in a Strawberry Colada?

My Mom used to ask my Dad every night, “Care to join me in a cocktail?” My Dad would respond, “Is there room?” So, would you like to join me in a cocktail? And, yes, there is room!

Ingredients
Strawberries
Ice
Rum
Pina Colada Mix

Wash and cut up the strawberries.

The strawberries, washed, cut and ready

Fill the blender 3/4 of the way to the top with ice. Add enough rum to bring the liquid to a bit less than 1/2 of the blender.

Ice and rum

Then add the colada mix so that the blender will be 3/4 of the way full.

Colada mix added

Top with strawberries.

Strawberries added

On the blender, use the “smoothie” setting. Blend until there are no ice cubes remaining and the mixture is smooth. Serve it up!

Drinks are ready!

WARNING: These are habit forming and if you drink this too fast you will end up with a brain freeze! Note to Christine: Drinks are ready, are you coming over?

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Strawberries Anyone?

There is nothing like the sweet flavor of a strawberry!  It is such a popular flavor in our society that you can actually get almost anything with the wonderful flavor of a strawberry.  Not all strawberry flavoring is what it seems, but that is a topic for another blog…this one focuses on what I just picked from my garden!

A strawberry blossom is a very beautiful and amazing looking flower, particularly after a rain…

Strawberry flower – the beginning…

As they develop, and putting the imagination into motion, one can just imagine the sweet flavors that which will be forthcoming…

Forming strawberry

As the days wind from one to another and one finds themselves waiting for the results of sunshine against fruit, one sometimes finds a surprise in the strawberry patch!

The Devil eating my strawberries

However, today was the day for taking a container that holds 2 3/4#’s of strawberries out to the garden! So, you might be asking yourself, “Was she able to fill it after Fox Face had her fill?” Well, as I picked, I tossed the ones that were too ripe out of the garden fencing, and actually only picked from the outside perimeter. There must be over 200 plants, and I barely touched what was there. And, yes, the container was more than full; it was overflowing! Look at these gems…

First crop of strawberries

After I came in, I called a neighbor so that I could offer her the opportunity to pick strawberries for jam, when the dog broke out in a chorus of song. My husband told me it was because Fox Face was back eating what I had thrown outside the garden fence! Amazing! But I have to ask you, who could resist these strawberries that have the aroma of cotton candy and are dripping with sweet juices?

Sweet, sweet strawberries!

Can you just imagine them surrounded by chocolate and whipping cream? Oh, but that is a topic for another blog!

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Strawberries, Strawberries, Strawberries!

Strawberry blossom

What do you know about strawberries other than how yummy they are? As these little gems will be coming into season soon, I thought that they deserved a blog!

A little bit of history on this illustrious berry: The first botanical illustration of the plant appeared in 1454. The fruit was the symbol for the goddess Venus because of its heart shape and red color. “Streoberie” was the original spelling of the name of this fruit until it was changed in 1538 to “strawberry.” American Indians used to mix the strawberry with cornmeal to make a bread and is considered the first “strawberry shortcake.” In parts of Bavaria country folk used to tie small baskets of the berries to the horns of their cattle as an offering to elves. It was believed that the elves would bless the cattle with healthy calves and increase the milk production in the cattle.

A Plate of the Strawberry Plant

Something interesting about this berry is that it is the only fruit that has the seeds on the outside. And, that it is an accessory aggregate fruit. Each “seed” on the fruit is actually the ovary of the flower with a seed inside of it.

The variety of strawberry in my garden here in the Foothills is called “Sequoia.” It produces a large berry whose flavor is reminiscent of cotton candy, and like cotton candy, they just melt in your mouth! This variety of strawberry is very hardy and survives the cold temperatures and snow cover.

Another blossom

The strawberry is an easy plant to grow. It likes somewhat sandy soil and is best grown on mounds. As the plant develops shoots, or runners, for new plants cut them back. By cutting these back as they form, the energy of the plant will go more toward fruit production rather than creating a new plant. Commercial growers actually replace all their plants after two years as the more mature plant does not produce as much as the younger plants.

I have found that the plants need maintenance several times a season. Slugs and aphids are common problems with these plants and by trimming back the mature leaves helps to keep these at bay. The plants are also prone to leaf blight and mold, so it is important to water these plants at the root level rather than watering from sprinklers.

Try growing these plants on your deck in pots, or even in a Topsy Turvy!

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