Blog 6.23.15 Merry Humid Solstice

The Solstice was a special day, regardless. But the feeling of change wasn’t there this year. In all my 51 years I don’t recall not Feeling the change of the season. But maybe it’s just because it’s because Spring was so warm and summer like?

I don’t like griping at all. It draws bad energy, even small gripes. But I am abut to do some just the same. The Ozark’s humidity is one of only two gripes I have about living here. The other is that the cold seems colder in winter but that may also just be the wet cold. If  had to choose I guess I would take the humidity over the painful cold. I can take 100 degree days as long as there’s shade and the humidity is low. When it’s high I can’t breathe well and not being able to get a full breath is horrible.

But those are small thing in the greater scope and I love my Ozarks and homemade life  : )

Speaking of homemade ….. homemade raspberry yogurt for everyone!

That’s what I’m having just now   : )   I'm exhausted and just now drying out from the day's chores. Today included picking raspberries. We have a little slightly cultivated patch of wild raspberries. The little sweet ones that take twice as much work and twice as much time so that we’re twice as grateful for them!  There’s more to pick tomorrow and more this year than last. The first year there were tons but 2013 and 14, when I was sick, I let them go so there are less but still enough for us.

I ate at least a pint while I picked and am wearing raspberry lipstick as I type. I’m planning on making jelly and drying. Plus eating fresh of course. And a raspberry crustata, my favorite. Some of the jelly will be mixed with mulberry, if I can get a share before the winged folk eat them all.

Easy food trees and bushes we have… wild raspberries, gooseberries, mulberries, blueberry, blk walnut, beautyberry, red raspberry, persimmon, elderberry, pecan, wild plum, pawpaw, and more. Not all are producing yet, the pecan won’t produce food for a few more years and the pawpaw is struggling. But most are producing and we have a huge amount more of wild and cultivated foods like lambs quarters, queen annes lace, plantain, sheep sorrel, wild lettuce and on and on. We’re so blessed to have such a cornucopia outside our door.

Aside from regular chores and berry picking I started working on new drying screens. The old ones are still sturdy and useful but I need more space. Growing my own herbs for my business takes a lot of drying and I never have enough room. Let a lone food drying for the pantry. The only drawback is having to move them if it should rain. I have tarped them on occasion but last year I lost a whole screen of herbs to mold because they stayed tarped for two days.

I recently got over 13 yards of black tulle. It’s like what you might cut squares of and fill with bird seed to throw at handfastings. I have at least 101 uses for it. I’m making covers for the electric food dehydrators, we have fruit flies sometimes and one of the dehydrators heats but has no fan. I’m also going to make new covers for the big food drying screens. I have an old sheer curtain but it’s a little thicker and I think it slows the drying process. It will find use elsewhere. What’s left of the tulle will either be put pack for back up or turned into drying bags.

On the Solstice I started a batch of goat milk yogurt and it’s delicious as always!  I like sweet and made ¾ with vanilla and honey. The other if for cooking and to use as sour cream on the upcoming taco night.

So, here I sit wearing raspberry lipstick, typing and eating fresh yogurt with fresh raspberries. And feeling happy to the core of my soul.

This Raspberry was an excellent helper!