Snippets & Snatches

 In addition to the 62 year old tractor, my son-in-law gave my husband last year, which by the way is a F.O.R.D--- you know--- Fix Or Repair Daily
first he added the horse drawn dump rake,  (guess who got to 'dump' it every time while we were making hay??)  "he" has now added a John Deere sickle bar mower. Here it is being restored, with the sickle bar removed. Sophie decided to claim it, she's our old farm equipment kitty ( remember her on the old Massey Harris tractor?) I think they are trying to do me in, as all this old fashioned hay making has been too much for me.
Can't wait for summer and all this 'makes- the- hay- grow- rain'-  to- end.

Favorite summer pie...sunny and hot 90*

Perhaps some of you haven't filled your freezers with produce yet. Could it be the 100 degree days have cut back your harvest, or is it the constant rain? I know that should be good this time of year, but too much of a good thing can ruin things too. Anyway, if you have room in your freezer to set a pie pan flat make  one (or two)  of these and have 'em on hand for company or your own supper on a hectic night. It's so easy and light and refreshing, it's one of our hot weather favorites.................................

 

 

                                 Refreshing Lemon Ice pie
1 large can( 12 oz.) evaporated milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 cup sugar
graham cracker crust

Place milk (Undiluted) in a large bowl and place in the freezer till just beginning to freeze around edges.
Beat with a stand or hand mixer until foamy, add sugar, continue to beat until soft peaks form, add lemon juice and extract, beat just to incorporated and spoon into a prepared graham cracker crust(will be quite high, just pile it in.)
Place immediately into the freezer and freeze for four hours or overnight.
Can be cut and eaten straight from the freezer for a refreshing summer treat!

                 

Yogurt........Sunny and HOT......90's* today

I wonder as I prepare my milk for yet another batch of yogurt how many still make, yogurt, cheese, buttermilk, ice cream and the like from scratch anymore........if you do leave us a comment and let us know OK?

There's nothing like fresh yogurt, just like anything fresh from the garden or homemade it just tastes better! we eat ours plain or topped with fresh fruit or honey

 

 Here's how I make mine. This recipe and procedure never let me down, and I have tried many other ways . I have a Salton Yogurt Maker, that has five 6 ounce cups, so these quantities are for it.

 I start by plugging it in to preheat.

Then I pasteurize 30 ounces of milk by placing it in a stainless steel bowl in a pan of hot water .Heat until thermometer reads 160 degrees. Remove bowl from hot water and let cool until temp. reaches 110.

Then beat in with whisk 1/3 cup of NON- INSTANT dry milk. Whisk thoroughly until completely dissolved, then whisk in one at a time, 4 rounded tablespoons of plain  Yogurt with ACTIVE cultures,. ( Subsequently you can use your own Yogurt as the starter. When the homemade starts to  seem less firm, buy another quart for your starter)

Next rinse your cups with hot water and pour in your Yogurt mixture.

Place in Yogurt Maker, put on cover and wrap with heavy towels or blanket.

Let sit undisturbed for 8 - 10 hours.

 Remove cups of Yogurt and immediately place in refrigerator .

And a tasty recipe to make with it here: http://jonquiljunction.blogspot.com/2015/05/lemon-poundcakestorms-overnight-sunny.html

Snippets & snatches....Sunny..hot...83*

                                               A  Snatch from a Bygone Era

 

My dear cousin went to the town where I was born and took pictures of my earliest childhood home.

I was thrilled to learn that it was still there, built in 1900. And even though it no longer has the wood shingles I remember, it still looks familiar. And even better, the setting is the same. The steps down to the little strip of beach that the whole neighborhood used. Those were the steps that I fell down taking all the skin off my shin, and I can remember Mom and Dad kneeling on the floor while I sat on a kitchen chair, deciding what to do. The back yard has a little strip of grass and then a sea wall, below which are large rocks and then the ocean. Mom used to tie me out there by means of a harness ( I don't remember that! ) so I could have outside time. When I was older I would play on the rocks below the wall and rescue stranded creatures, mainly crabs, that were washed up there by the waves. I do wish I could have showed you a picture of the little red school house just down the street from my house, but it's gone. There were 3 grades, Kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd grade, all in one room with partitions separating the classes. I started there at age 4 1/2 and remember being able to listen to the other classes beyond the partition. When third grade came we had to go "uptown" to a big, many story high brick building. Quite a contrast to that little neighborhood school that I could walk to. And modern early childhoods are quite a contrast to those days I remember, and I don't think necessarily better! Well I'll close now, but I do remember lots more stories of my first seven year at  23 Beach Ave. that I'll someday share with you.

 

  The steps that I fell down taking all the skin off my shin       ^

The little strip of grass , I was 'tied' out on to keep me safe from the sea

The rocks below the wall I used to play on

 

Sunday Quotes....Sunny...HOT...90's

Use what talents you possess,
 The woods would be very silent,
If no birds sang there
Except those who sang best...............
                                                                             Author unknown