Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Strawberries and a Present Via Snail Mail

I picked our first real harvest of strawberries today.  Got close to three pounds.  Enough for strawberry shakes for afternoon break, a dish of sliced berries with vanilla ice cream (Papa Pea) and a bowl sliced with cream (me) for dessert tonight.  There are still plenty for a   
Strawberry Cream Pie for tomorrow and some to share with Chicken Mama.

I also did another clean up of weeds in the strawberry patch.  I've never seen so many large, healthy, robust dandelion plants growing right smack dab in the middle of so many of the strawberry plants.  Arrrgh, how aggravating!  There's no way I can dig them out without destroying the strawberry plant.  Right in the middle of the plant they are!  Why do they have to grow right there?

* * * * * * * *

Last week, a dear, kind, thoughtful friend in New York state said she was making a trip to her favorite yarn store and would like to pick out and send me a skein of yarn for socks I could make for myself.  She inquired as to what color I would choose and, of course, I said orange.  (With any color of green as a close second, but I do have a weird propensity for the color orange.)


This is what arrived in the mail today.  Is that coloration gorgeous or what?!  I can hardly wait to get it on the needles and see how it works up.  Thanks so much, Linda, for being such a sweet, generous Internet friend!

14 comments:

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

That really is a beautiful combination of oranges! You'll have to model the socks for us when you're done. I have strawberry envy. Mine have not been great this year. A strawberry milkshake sounds yummy!-Jenn

tpals said...

Haha, I thought you were being 'tongue in cheek' and your post would be about actual snails in your garden. Lovely oranges!

Michelle said...

We picked strawberries for the fourth time, I think, tonight. Six more pints in the freezer, for a total of 15 so far. We've also enjoyed them fresh, and I made your rhubarb cake with half strawberries which my husband LOVED. Gorgeous yarn; you'll have "hot feet"!

Mama Pea said...

Jenn - I probably won't get to use the gorgeous yarn until fall 'cause the next socks on the needles are a pair I promised my husband. But when I do get the orange ones done, my tootsies will be on fiiiiirrre! ;o)

tpals - Hee-hee, good sense of humor there, friend! But, shhhhh, please let's not mention snails (or slugs in our case) in the garden . . . we haven't had any problem with them for years!

Michelle - Up here near the tundra, remarkably our berries are about two weeks early this year. Who would have guessed with the cold spring/early summer we've had? You sure can't forecast how a garden will turn out in any year, can you?

Oh-oh-oh, my hubby would love it if I made that rhubarb cake with half strawberries! 'Course, I say why spoil good rhubarb?? ;o}

Katie C. said...

Smitten Kitchen has a lovely “ summer strawberry cake” recipe on her site. I’ve made it many times. It’s sort of rustic, I.e. it doesn’t get frosted.

I’m not personally into orange but the yarn does look nice. I’m currently taking a sock class from the county recreation department. Class two is Friday. I figure maybe this way I’ll finally have at least one finished knitting project!

Chris said...

Hi, if you place a small teaspoonful of table salt in the centre of each dandilion plant, it should be dead in a week. It never fails for me, it would be better if it does not rain for 24hours but it will still work even if it does. This is really useful in a lawn.

Susan said...

Oooh! You know another knitter in NYS? I suppose it is asking too much to have her living not to far from me...I miss a knitting friend. I can't wait to see that beautiful yarn in socks! They will be spectacular!

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

Ooh what a beautiful skein of yarn! I love orange as my second favorite color. Dandelions are the bane of every gardener/farmer in existence! We are dealing with grass that has turned to thatch. New owners to the rescue!

wisps of words said...

Strawberries, hooray!!!

Perhaps you have a wonderfully mulched strawberry patch, and the large, healthy, robust dandelion plants, are taking advantage of the soil "goodies." ,-)))))

Sweet gift.... Just what you wanted. :-))))

Vera said...

That wool is gorgeous, such a lovely colour, and one that I would willingly wear.

As for strawberries,.....we haven't grown any yet, but if we make more raised beds then I shall definitely set aside one for them. My husband is thinking of making one of our three vegetable paddocks into a raised bed area, and I am all in favour of that, his interest in doing so having been sparked off by me showing him your raised beds!

Rain said...

Oh how nice of your friend Linda! I have a weird fixation for all things orange too lol! Oh Mama Pea, I am JEALOUS of your strawberry harvest!!!! Of the 12 roots I planted, only 2 plants grew and they really are at the small little green leaf phase!

Mama Pea said...

Katie C. - I looked up that strawberry cake on Smitten Kitchen and it looks wonderful. If I make it, my strawberry-loving husband will thank you! Best of luck with your sock knitting class. I've always found knitting classes to be filled with good, fun-filled people. Yay, knitting! (And knitters.)

Chris - Great suggestion (and easy!) for getting rid of dandelions. My question would be does the salt harm the strawberry plant? Thanks for taking the time to give the suggestion.

Susan - My yarn sending friend lives a far piece from you, I'm afraid, so not much chance of the two of you becoming in-person knitting buddies. 'Tis a shame. :o(

MrsDM - I'll bet you're encountering all kinds of rescue operations on your new place. But it's all part of making it your very own!

wisps of words - Isn't it funny how the weeds seem to love a good soil to grow in, too!? Oh well, if the strawberry plants can co-exist with the dandelions, I guess I'll learn to also. ;o}

Vera - Well, bless your heart! And your husband's, too. There's no doubt about it that raised beds are much easier to manage . . . and keep weed-free. What gardener doesn't want that??

Rain - When you have your own ample land in which to plant, I just know you'll have a wonderful strawberry bed. Wait and see if I'm not right about that. I'm sure you will. Maybe your plants wanted more room to grow than you could give them in a pot.

Goatldi said...

Wow that's a lot of berries!

Love the yarn. Funny about your orange thing. My friend who owned a LYS had the same addiction. You need to get a pair of those see trough ankle high rain boots. Wear those socks and boots and add some cheer to your neck of the woods in January .

Perhaps Susan could knit FaceTime with a knitting buddy?

Mama Pea glad the slow to go garden is taking off!

Joy said...

That strawberry cream pie? Absolutely as good as promised! Made one yesterday and there’s not much left today. Thanks!