Making Freezer Jam..........

So Edna and I went down to the Pigpatch down near Custer (Michigan) We were going to the Quilt shop. I did manage to find a couple of things and I also got two dozen eggs. The Pig Patch being a farm and all.

The farm is beautiful and a real working farm. The Quilt shop is in the farm house so one of the nicest......well we love it.

Anyway, just as we turn off to go to the Pig Patch there is a beautiful farm market and that is where I got my Strawberries. I bought a whole bunch. The intent was to make freezer jam. The cleaning was the hard part. Time consuming really is all.

After they were washed and topped and sorted I Froze 1/2 of them. Some for making jam later and some for eating later.

I kept some for eating the next few days, tomorrow I will make some shortcake.

I love the look of them in their jars, so pretty.They are somewhat chunky and that should be nice.


Anyway, it was a bit hot in the kitchen so that was enough for me for oneday. Having run out of pectin it was better to freeze the rest and use up what I had made. Later I will make marmalade and my cranberry jam. When the weather is cooler.

Finishing up my sketch book...............

I can't remember what number of sketchbook this is. It was done on a regular sketch book. I wanted to do it in colour pencil but didn't like it and so I did watercolour. That doesn't go well on regular paper. That's OK. The book is just practice stuff. Some day I will go to these books for ideas for paintings. Its fun to do. It's good practice for me. A lot is not my original ideas and so the books are just for me and practice.


Some are not so good.It doesn't matter.


Good or bad they are here for the record.



The pencil sketches will get painted even though its not the best method. It saves the pencil from rubbing off.



I find quotes and put them in the books. They don't necessary go with the picture but some day maybe I will have collected enough to do pictures with quotes that go with it. I can make cards or something.











I am not sure that I will continue doing the sketch books even though I enjoy it. I should really try to do some real work. I would like to do a few tests and give them away. We shall see. I have been getting the urge to do some real paintings. I guess I don't do that much anymore because I have no wall space haha and don't know what else to do with them. I may try putting some on my Bluebell Woods page or giving some away on my blog. For now, thats probably all I will do as far as posting on this book.

Walking Home..........

I didn't have anything for this blog so will share some pictures I took on our walk home from school. For a couple of days we had to walk because the van was in the shop. Its only maybe 2 blocks at most. Still I got to see some neighbours gardens. I loved the light on these poppies

Someone had some pretty Iris. I should ask neighbours for a few, do you think that would be rude?


I don't have that pretty violet colour or the purple with white

Some people have wonderful Rhodedendrons. Mine don't bloom and don't grow even though I feed them. Maybe they need more sun but I don't believe that as they grow in woodlands in England.


I definatley want some of these.


Maybe just a few watercolours to add today



I can never remember what I have already shared.


Also I must share my African Violets. They are blooming really well and still looking good and healthy. Never fails to surprise me.



I don't know what I am doing right but whatever it is they seem to thrive.



If I had room I would get more but the table is full. They don't do well in any other place so I will just leave things be.