Living Simply and Deliberately: July 2010

Thursday, July 29, 2010

PRESERVING-Dill Pickles

ith all the extreme heat this summer, my dill has gone CRAZY! However it seems that the dill that seeds itself from the year before is always ready for a cutting before the pickles are ready for pickling, and the dill that I plant is not ready in time. So to fix this problem, I just dry my dill if it cannot be used immediately. Any leftovers can be used the following year. The same is also true for my cayenne peppers. (used in this particular recipe) I just dry them in the dehydrator and use them as I need them. They will keep for a long time if kept in an air tight container.

Check out this HUGE head of dill. It is the same size as the dehydrator.

I use this simple recipe for my pickles. I don't can pickles in the traditional way, but rather jar them, uncooked, and store them in our extra fridge. To date, the jars are piling up and I'm running out room to store them- the one drawback to making these claussen style pickles.

My Favorite Dill Pickle Recipe

4 qts med sized cucumbers

4 c. vinegar

1 c. salt

3 qt water

For each quart:

2 sprays dill

1 clove garlic

1 small hot red pepper

Wash cucumbers and let stand in cold water overnight. Pack cukes in jars. Combine other ing. And bring to boil. Fill jars with brine, and store in a cool dark place.

THE RED POPPY PRINT

Better late than never! I had promised details on my antique store find while junking in Lancaster County....... Here it is!

I know, I know, it doesn't look like much. It's a flour sifter for heavens sake. But for me, it tickled my funny bone. I've recently decided to add to my collection (of 2). So I've been keeping an eye open in search of this poppy print~that I LOVE~ when I'm out junkin'! My love for this print by Hall's Dinnerware, goes back to my childhood. We had a Halls drip jar. We didn't use it for grease drippings though; we used it as a candy dish on our coffee table. Hence, my adoration of the red poppy (and its connection to sweet stuff!)

Isn't it funny how things that take you back to your childhood can be comforting to the soul!

My Red Poppy collection~so far! If you have a piece you'd like to part with, let me know!

Friday, July 16, 2010

ROAD TRIP-LANCASTER COUNTY

Hubs and I recently took a road trip. We decided a weekend away for a little R&R was in order. We had previously planned to go to the in-law's beach house for a long weekend to do a little fishing and catch a few rays. But at the last minute, we changed the game plan and headed east, east to Lancaster County (PA) on a little road trip. The only concrete plan we had was to see the play Joseph at Sight and Sound, an incredible Christian Theater.

FIRST STOP

The Sight and Sound Millennium Theater is a beautiful facility on a serene setting. In the background of this photo is the Hershey Farm where beautiful gardens abound.

Whats good for the goose is good for the gander!

The grand entrance of Sight and Sound.

In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together;

the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.

The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion,

and a little child will lead them all. Isaiah 11:6

The show was fan-tab-u-lous!!!!!!!

The following day was snoop day. We just set out from the hotel and went snooping. First stop.............Bird in Hand Farmers Market. This is an indoor market with many vendors, everything from food to clothing.

Hubs had to sample some sticky buns..mmmm! There were lots of samples!

Souvenir Anyone??

Then............ across the road to the Peddlers Cottage. A very neat store that didn't seem to have an end. It was filled with many sweet finds both old and new, and new that looked old. It was hard to tell the difference!

We ended up at the Hardware store next door (not pictured) that was also never ending. From the Bird in Hand Hardware store, you could enter the Bird in Hand Antique store. I did manage to find something in the antique store to bring home with me. But I'll save that for another post.

Okay, I admit it....I enjoy a good glass of wine. (Hmmm, maybe I'll stop right now and pour me a glass. ) Anywho.......... we found our way to the Mount Hope Winery. And yes, I did get a souvenir there!

As we made our way on our scenic ride home from

Lancaster, we of course, had to make one more stop........

Oh yea...more souvenirs.............the edible kind!

More country scenery....a reminder of a SIMPLER time.

And we just couldn't resist trekking through the sweetest place on earth...........HERSHEY! We are hoping to go back to Hershey one day very soon to take our little Jack to the zoo. Oh, and in case you didn't know, the street lamps of Hershey are shaped like Hershey Kisses- some are wrapped, and some are not.