Grandkids for the Weekend

 Melanie and her family spent the last north shore summer weekend with us.  The dinner, roast chicken, green and wax beans and potato salad and beautiful birch and cherry table, the result of our hands. OK, so we didn't raise the olives for the olive oil and vinegar in the salad.   There's a little history on that beautiful table.  Dave and I started looking at dining room tables before we were married in 1990.  Well, one fabulous work shop, countless pressing projects and 20 years later Dave created  the table of our dreams that fills the room and seats 6 -14 as the occasion demands.  I hope the chairs don't take another 20 years!

 At Melanie's suggestion I harvested from the new rhubarb plants and we created a yummy Wild Bluebarb Crumble for dessert.  Oh my gosh it was good! 

 Of course we spent some time on the beach, throwing rocks, playing fetch with Selke and freezing our legs in the water retrieving things like:

 the banana rock! 

 Wally loved his yogurt and the feel of those smooth little pebbles beneath his feet and in his hands.

 Phantom caught, helmets on, get the brushes and saddle and away we go to the round pen. Wally wasn't too sure about this but he decided not to be left out and went for a ride.   Both Rowan and Oscar rode by themselves this time.  Won't be long and we'll be out on the trail!

 Dave makes the best pizza dough!  This batch was especially easy to work with.  This is when I make an exception with the gluten-free life and indulge.

A few years ago Dave surprised me with the coolest, or maybe hottest, birthday present.  A bread oven!  The plans for this oven are in the back of Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads from 1973 which Deb W. gave just after we moved here.  He wouldn't tell me what he was doing and when I saw the four posts sticking out of the ground I really thought it was for the outhouse we had been planning to build.  It seemed like an odd place for an outhouse and I couldn't figure out for the longest time what he was up to.  We all helped with the final construction and it does make THE BEST PIZZA'S. 
After dinner Melanie, Tim and the sleepy kids headed for home.  Hopefully they'll be back before we have a blanket of snow.

Pin Cherry Jelly

 Remember these?

 After harvesting from the nice big Pin Cherry tree just east as you head out of town, I had 24 cups. 

 With an old sheet and an old stool from somewhere out in the woods, it's jelly time.  Making jam had always seemed the sensible thing since you used all of the fruit.  After adding quite a lot of sugar the jelly turned out rather tasty and I may harvest again before they are gone.

 Everything ready to jar the jelly.

With such a poor raspberry year this doesn't look like quite enough sweet stuff for the entire year!

Dave has been working like crazy on a cider press and we're hunting for an apple source.  Maybe some apple butter would be a nice addition.