It’s that time of year–time to watch things grow! Winters linger where I live. I wait until the end of May or early June to plant flowers, and I’ve been planting herbs in pots on our deck for several years, too.
We used to have a garden. I’m lazy about keeping up with it after the first month, so we decided to let it go. Since we’re blessed with numerous local farmstands and U-pick farms nearby, I don’t miss my garden much. When I do, I browse online sites like Fine Gardening and soak in the pretty flowers of A Wyoming Garden to get my fix!
Next week I plan on spending a few hours in the strawberry patch a few miles away. My goal? Bring home a flat of bright red berries. I make lower-sugar freezer jam each year with pectin specifically made for low or no-sugar recipes. You can find the Sure-Jell brand at Walmart or other grocery stores. I also make blueberry jam. It’s delicious!
Last year I bought a few dozen ears of corn. Blanching them didn’t take long. Quart-sized freezer bags stack nicely in our chest freezer. I wished I’d frozen more. This year I will.
Canning or freezing produce doesn’t require a huge time commitment if I focus on one thing at a time. And it certainly makes my family happy in November when we’re still enjoying peak flavor from the food I’ve preserved.
Other country pursuits I enjoy (even though I’m in the suburbs!) during the summer:
- Filling a glass pitcher with water and letting tea bags steep in it all day on my deck for sun tea
- The farmers market! Local honey has so much flavor.
- Sitting out back, watching the birds fly from tree to tree and the clouds drift through the sky
- Baking summer treats, like peach cobbler or blueberry breakfast cake (recipe is linked)
- Walking around ponds at rural parks
- Reading a book on our back deck
I could go on and on. Each season brings its own joys!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on gardening, canning, and other country pursuits. What do you enjoy about the summer?
