Elderberries

It appears to be quite the season of abundance here in central il. And our last anticipation of our small fruits is the elderberries, the latest of them all.

I have been really adoring the flowers this year. I think perhaps in the years past I have ignored them, but as some of you know what my elderberry ignorance can lead to, I am trying to pay more attention.

I will definitely be cooking the fruit before preserving it this year, and if the flowers are still there when we return home, plan on doing something with them as well.

As so many things are being harvested, it is still nice to appreciate the promise of things that will be.

Rolling In!!

We were lucky enough to enjoy the king berries prior to our summer vacation departure. I know, enough about the berries already. But wow, there are so many of them and it is pretty amazing.

I have to fight off the boys to try and enjoy some, and after a year without, it is a great thing to come back to. And of course we are quite pleased with our little patches productivity. Just lined up on the sidewalk growing us some of summer's sweetest treats.

We should be back for some of the blackberry season, the canes are massive, the thorns a bit intimidating, hopefully is all adds up to really tasty fruit.

Learning the Ropes

It didn't take too long and with the raspberries and currants right on the tail of the service berries, this little bear is set to feed himself.

I have a pretty strong feeling about kids being able to provide for themselves. Gardening and foraging seem like such survival skills that we need to teach our children. I love the look on my boys faces when they are able to pick and eat something. Though we need to be careful as everything is not edible, they amaze me with their attention and pleasure when they are given the okay to fill their belly.

He is a pleased little boy. New to the vocab this week: Berry. And whenever he sees them he cries our more while signing please. Such fun.

Into the Woods:: 6/3

The pictures are becoming fewer, but our adventures have continued and even with all our quick travels and missing our home woods, we are still sure to be in some woods or natural area where ever we happen to be. I am thrilled that in the next weeks the boys will be exploring the woods that their papa explored as a boy, running on the shores of the ocean, and creek walking in rock bottomed streams.

I have such a lack of inspiration in the summer woods. It is much easier to become distracted by mosquitoes or sweat than to notice the new plant growth. We did stumble across one bloom I was unfamiliar with.

The Berry Year Begins

Mulberries, found last week. Everything is early and as this is River's first berry season, we are so excited to share all of it with him. He's is thrilled as well that we can walk around the neighborhood and find sweet treats to snack on.
Service Berries, so early this year. We picked a bunch and have been enjoying them all week in morning meals, snacks and hope to make muffins this weekend. They are a grape/blueberry mix for me and so so delicious especially when warmed gently by the morning sun. and picked by a 3 year old bear that climbs the tree.
And the cherries are starting to roll in. Our neighbor has a tree and Asher asked if I could walk him over there. We couldn't find his little basket and I let him know that a handled basket would be best, I love his choice.
River was happy to greet him and his harvest.
Gooseberry fruit set.
Elderberry flowers, the plants are loaded and the first blooms have just opened, the branches won't be weighed down with fruit for awhile.
The king berry on the black raspberries ripening, calling to us, teasing really as they are red ready, but need to turn purple- does anyone have any tricks for teaching 1 and 3 year olds how to wait for ripeness?
White currents plumping up continuing to taunt Asher- though he has had his belly full of under ripe ones and claims their are super good.
50lbs of strawberries from a local organic farm awaiting their freezer fate. As we are incredibly busy these days, pick your own wasn't going to happen.
And the blackberry fruit set... Holy Cow, it is going to be amazing. The sweetness of summer is one way I can tolerate the heat, it is needed for all the delights from the yard and garden. The humidity though? I think I will continue to complain.

Sweet Potatoes

We made our own sweet potato slips this year. It was really labor intensive and hard. Place sweet potato half in soil, horizontally in a plastic container with some drainage, keep wet.Pull the slips apart and plant into warm soil.
Then let your cute kid water them in.
And get muddy.

Pea Harvest

The picking season has officially begun.

As has the eating directly off the plant season.

And doing whatever your big brother does.

PLAY

Stage one of our outdoor project for the kids is complete. We removed the chicken tractor and started off with this space.Some cedar posts.
The frame came together quickly.
Cedar decking and some climbing bars. We were really trying to figure out ways to challenge Asher's climbing skills, he had a bit of a challenge for maybe 5 minutes and was up.
Cedar shakes left over from the kitchen remodel- I love putting these up, this was the mama job.
River is really drawn to play houses and counter parts of playground and other peoples homes, and as he can't climb like his brother we dedicated the lower section to him.
A tarp to stay dry in the rain, it is also a great bird blind and we have been able to see a lot of the warbler migration hidden.
90% there, Asher loves his new perch.
And the grand finale. We found some awesome hand holds made from some dude for a great price and were thrilled to make the climbing wall.
T nuts holding them into place.Ratcheting from the top.Holds layed out on the boards.Secured and ready for climbing. Up in no time. I originally thought Ben was a little crazy for the separated posts opposed to a solid wall for climbing on but it lets light into the underneath, is quite original and worked out great. Stage 2 will include pulleys, rope ladders and whatever strikes us between now and then.