Saturday, May 3, 2014

A Day of Beautiful Food

Oriental weather this morning was unsurpassed perfection. We farmers' market vendors enjoyed our three hours gazing at shoppers, selling our goods, lolling in the light breeze and warm sun, and commenting on what a grand day it was after such a horrible winter. My friend Christine brought some brilliant red radishes to sell.
And Joe, on the other side of me, sold all the fabulous fresh strawberries he picked just last night at his farm. I bought ten pints.
Julia traipsed up with the puppies on leash. She's looking so grown up these days.
We dashed away from the market, and quick-as-quick drove out to Green Bay Marina for Cricket's annual picnic. Green Bay is a throw-back mobile-home park and marina. To walk into the sandy lanes of this place, under the pine boughs, to the lapping of water on hulls, is to drift into 1967. Life is slower there, and finer.
Cricket provides the chicken and BBQ.
There's Cricket, sitting in her chariot, surrounded by a few fans.
Is this a picture of peaceful loveliness, or what?
These tables were groaning with the weight of food, and a half hour later, we were all groaning after transferring the food to our tummies!
I photographed this banana pudding because it was so beautiful, fresh from the oven.
Adam is now getting around on crutches, and I think he's done with the wheelchair altogether. He hates the walker because it makes his hands/wrists hurt so much.
Cricket always invites our church to come to the picnic. And she always invites all her tenants at Green Bay to come to church, so she is very even handed about her invitations :) She's a dear. Here are a few church folks, waiting for lunch time.
I'd already eaten my lunch when I spotted this brimming plate at another table. I think the little girl sitting there thought I was strange to come take a picture of her mommy's food. It looks like the perfect picnic plate.
After discovering that our long-neglected boat has a hull full of water (sigh), we came home, I send Adam to bed for a long afternoon nap, and I tackled the strawberries.
I used about half of them and made six pint jars of jam. I always use the upside-down method for setting my jams instead of a hot water bath. I've never, ever had it fail. I learned this from the amazing women in Iowa I knew -- those ladies know all there is to know about canning!
Beautiful.
Fig preserves and pear jam may sit on the shelf for months at a time, but this strawberry jam will be gone in weeks.
I had to open one right away because Adam declared me must have chocolate ice cream, strawberry jam, and fresh hot coffee for dinner.
So we did.

8 comments:

Lisa Richards said...

The picnic pictures are indeed lovely and peaceful. What a nice place and such nice folks! I use the upside down method for jams, too. The only failure I've had was with one jar that leaked all over, hee, hee. Oh well, no method is perfect! Hope you enjoyed your ice cream! :)

mysteryhistorymom said...

What an absolutely delightful day! The radishes and strawberries look divine. Your strawberry jam recipe sounds wonderful. I'd love it if you'd share.;) Your husband is doing well- so glad to see him getting around on crutches! Cricket is doing an incredible job ministering through food. What an special lady. Lori

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

What a great post, filled with friendship, peace, good food and Adam getting around on crutches now. Your jam looks wonderful!!!!

Have a lovely Sunday ~ FlowerLady

Dasha said...

I made some plum jam the other week which is absolutely delicious. Also have some guavas which I have reduced to juice in the freezer, waiting until I have time to make some jelly out of it. Strawbs are too expensive now - will have to wait until late this year to make another batch of jam.

Pom Pom said...

That picnic photo is so beautiful, MK!
Jam! I'm so impressed. Delicious!

Mary Ann Potter said...

Pure perfection! There's so much joy in the ordinary things of life; they are indeed more special than so-called big, important stuff. I enjoyed reading this post!

Ida said...

What a nice day you all had. Our local Farmers market opened this past weekend but I did not make it out. Local strawberries are a few weeks out yet but I can't wait to get them. That Banana Pudding looks to die for yummy.

Leslie said...

What a wonderful looking picnic. Now I'm hungry. One thing I love about reading blogs from around the country is the different things folks eat. It wold never ever ever cross my mind to have strawberry jam with chocolate ice cream. But it sounds good and especially for dinner. Yum.